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Should the Australian government impose sanctions on Myanmar?

Published

5 years ago

May 19, 2021

Almost 400 Myanmar civil society organisations wrote to Australia’s Foreign Minister this week, accusing Australia of “shameful inaction”.

The groups are urging the Morrison government to impose sanctions on army generals who staged the February coup.

Christopher Lamb is the President of the Australia Myanmar Institute and a former Australian diplomat who served as Ambassador to Myanmar.

He is calling on the Australian government to impose sanctions on Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmar’s military.

“The hope would be, that by putting sanctions on Min Aung Hlaing, it would bring other people in the senior military ranks to realise that Min Aung Hlaing was not the future for the country or for them,” Mr Lamb told Ticker News.

DFAT says imposing additional sanctions could limit Canberra’s influence.

But Mr Lamb says he hasn’t “seen any evidence at all that we’ve been able to exercise any influence of any value”.

“At a point you need to consider where Australia should be moving, both publicly and privately, to secure its objectives in the region. I’m not satisfied yet that the Australian government has identified clearly enough what those objectives are.”

Australian man Sean Turnell, who worked as an economic adviser to the deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was taken into custody in February.

Mr Lamb believes the military may see him as “someone who can help them as they consolidate their case against Aung San Suu Kyi”.

“It doesn’t surprise me that this military hasn’t released him. I think they want him for reasons unconnected with his potential guilt, and I don’t think he’s got anything to do with the situation that has come about in the country or has led to it.”

Related Topics:coup myanmar Politics trending

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Russia bans WhatsApp and promotes state-backed messaging app

Kremlin blocks WhatsApp, urging citizens to use state-backed MAX; critics warn of surveillance, prompting protests in Moscow.

Published

7 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Kremlin blocks WhatsApp, urging citizens to use state-backed MAX; critics warn of surveillance, prompting protests in Moscow.

The Kremlin has officially blocked WhatsApp, urging Russians to switch to MAX, a state-backed messaging app. This move comes after Meta refused to comply with local regulations, sparking debates over digital freedom in the country.

Critics warn that MAX could be used for government surveillance, though authorities deny these claims. The ban highlights Russia’s growing control over foreign tech platforms and its push for locally regulated alternatives.

Activists in Moscow have staged protests calling for an open and unregulated internet, while the public reacts with a mix of concern and resignation.

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U.S. secretly sent 6,000 Starlink terminals to Iran after protests

US covertly sent 6,000 Starlink terminals to Iran amid protests, aiding internet access despite government shutdowns and crackdown violence.

Published

7 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Harvey Vargas

US covertly sent 6,000 Starlink terminals to Iran amid protests, aiding internet access despite government shutdowns and crackdown violence.

U.S. officials report that the Trump administration covertly sent around 6,000 Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran following widespread protests. The move was designed to bypass strict internet blackouts imposed by authorities in Tehran.

The terminals reportedly enabled activists and dissidents to reconnect with the outside world during periods of severe digital restriction, raising fresh questions about foreign involvement and cyber strategy.

As geopolitical tensions simmer, the revelation underscores how connectivity has become a powerful tool in modern conflict.

#Iran #Starlink #DonaldTrump #MiddleEast #GlobalPolitics #TechNews #InternetFreedom #BreakingNews

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Anthropic secures 30 billion in fresh funding as valuation surges

Anthropic raises $30B, doubling valuation to $380B, boosting global AI race with support from GIC, Coatue, Microsoft, and Nvidia.

Published

7 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Anthropic raises $30B, doubling valuation to $380B, boosting global AI race with support from GIC, Coatue, Microsoft, and Nvidia.

Anthropic has secured a staggering $30 billion in fresh funding, catapulting its valuation to $380 billion and cementing its place among the most valuable AI companies in the world. The raise marks the second-largest private technology funding round ever, trailing only OpenAI’s $40 billion deal.

Major backers in this latest round include Singapore’s GIC and Coatue Management, alongside existing heavyweight partners Microsoft and Nvidia. The scale of the investment underscores intensifying global competition in artificial intelligence as capital continues to flood into the sector.

Anthropic’s valuation has more than doubled in just five months, fuelled by rapid enterprise growth. The company now works with eight of the Fortune 10 and boasts more than 500 customers spending over $1 million annually, highlighting surging demand for advanced AI tools across corporate America.

#ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Anthropic #TechNews #VentureCapital #BigTech #Innovation #Startups